An Attempt to Date
Plato
G.D.O'Bradovich III
September, 2012
The following was found in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Platonic (1a)
Platonist Platonical Platonian Platonism Platonic bodies Platonize Platonic (2a) Platonic year Platonic (1b) Platonic (2b) Platonicism |
1533
1549 1561 1569 1570 1571 1608 1636 1639 1645 1650 1678 |
The average date for the above words is 1600.72 with a standard deviation of 47.5 years.
Socrate's wife, Xantippe, is recorded from about 1616, courtesy of Shakespeare.
Socrate's wife, Xantippe, is recorded from about 1616, courtesy of Shakespeare.
Sophist Socratist Socratical Socratic (A) Socratic (B) |
1542 1554 1581 1637 1678 |
Chaucer is alleged to have lived from 1343 to 1400. Chaucer was so obscure that Chaucerism (1593) and Chaucerian (1660) are not recorded until 200 years after his death.
1683 R. Dixon Canidia ii. x. 42 Let's know where was Plato's cave, that bred many a Simple Slave.
Platonic-with references after 1800 removed and secondary references are in red.
Forms:
15–16 Platonike, 16 Platanicke, 16 Platonicke, 16 Platonik, 16 Platonique...
Etymology:
< classical Latin Platōnicus (adjective) of Plato or his philosophy, (noun) follower of Plato, also Platonica (neuter plural) teachings of Plato
< Hellenistic Greek Πλατωνικός (adjective) of Plato or his philosophy
< ancient Greek Πλάτων (classical Latin Platōn , Platō ), the name of Plato (c427–347 b.c.), Greek philosopher + -ικός -ic suffix.
Compare Middle French, French platonique , noun (1486 as platonicque ) and adjective (beginning of the 16th cent. designating a school of philosophical thought, 1577 in chronology,1691 in année platonique Platonic year), Italian platonico , noun (probably 15th cent.) and adjective (a1446), early modern German platonicus , noun (1486), German platonisch , adjective (1530).
With use as noun compare earlier Platonist n., Platonian n., Platonicker n.
With sense A. 2a compare post-classical Latin amor platonicus (see below), Italian amor platonico (1554), German platonische Liebe (17th cent.), French amour platonique (1743; compare amour à la platonique (1659)).
Post-classical Latin amor platonicus appears to have been coined by the Florentine Neoplatonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino (1433–99) in his Argumentum et commentaria in Phedrum ch. 1 (probably composed c1466–8, and printed 1484; edited and translated in M. J. B. Allen Marsilio Ficino and the Phaedran charioteer (1981) 73), where the amoris platonici et socratici castitatem ‘chastity of Platonic and Socratic love’ is mentioned with allusion to the account of love in Plato Symposium 201D-212A, esp. 209B-E.
The sense in which Ficino uses the phrase is summarized as follows by P. O. Kristeller in The philosophy of Marsilio Ficino (tr. V. Conant (1964) 286): ‘it is intellectual love between friends; love which unites the members of the Academy into a community, which is based on the individual's love for God’.
A. adj.
1. a. Of, relating to, reminiscent of, or characteristic of Plato or (a particular aspect of) his philosophy; conceived after the manner of Plato.
1533 T. Elyot (title)
Of that Knowledge, whiche maketh a wise Man. A disputation Platonike.
1638 Bp. J. Wilkins Discov. New World (1684) i. 173
'Twas an Old Platonick Principle, that there is in some part of the World such a place where Men might be Plentifully Nourished, by the Air they Breath.
1697 J. Evelyn Numismata vii. 235
More like a Platonic Notion.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones I. iii. iii. 167
He had..formed his Morals on the Platonic Model.
1781 Gibbon Decline & Fall II. xxi. 258
The familiar study of the Platonic system, a vain and argumentative disposition, a copious and flexible idiom, supplied the clergy and people of the East with an inexhaustible flow of words and distinctions.
b. Of a person: following the views of Plato; that is a Platonist.
1636 W. Davenant Witts ii. i,
Which [bookes] though not penn'd By dull Platonick Greekes, or Memphian Priests, Yet have the blessed marke of separation Of Authors silenc'd, for wearing short haire.
1689 R. Milward Selden's Table-talk 22
The first Christians many of them were Platonick Philosophers.
1708 J. Hughes tr. B. Le Bovier de Fontenelle Dialogues of Dead 99
A Platonick Philosopher desir'd the Emperor that then reign'd, to let him have a little City of Calabria which lay in Ruins, to rebuild and politize according to the Laws of Plato's Republick.
2. a. Of love, affection, or friendship: intimate and affectionate but not sexual; spiritual rather than physical. Now usually with lower-case initial.
1631 B. Jonson New Inne iii. ii. 238
Most Socratick Lady! Or, if you will Ironick! gi' you ioy O' you Platonick loue here.
1638 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy (ed. 5) iii. ii. i. iii. 420
It was not his person that she did embrace and reverence, but with a Platonicke love, the divine beauty of his soule.
1678 J. Norris Coll. Misc. (1699) 355
Platonic Love is the Love of Beauty abstracted from all sensual Applications, and desire of Corporal Contact.
1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews II. iv. xv. 291
If they found themselves to be really Brother and Sister, they vowed a perpetual Celibacy, and to live together all their Days, and indulge a Platonick Friendship for each other.
1788 S. Low Politician Out-witted v. ii. 59
When I talk of a passion, superior to mere Platonic love, you are afraid.
b. Of a person: that feels or professes platonic love; that has a non-sexual relationship.
1636 W. Davenant (title)
The Platonic Lovers.
1650 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis 163
The Mother-in-Law of Forestus, a fruitfull woman, would not match her daughters to Platonique men.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 32. ⁋3
This Order of Platonick Ladies are to be dealt with in a peculiar Manner from all the rest of the Sex.
1797 F. Reynolds Will iv. 46
Farewell, most amiable, most Platonic pair!
3. Confined to words, theories, or ideals, and not leading to practical action; ineffectual.
1. A follower of Plato, a Platonist. Now arch.
1605 T. Tymme tr. J. Du Chesne Pract. Chymicall & Hermeticall Physicke i. ii. 6
The Platonicks called the same the soule of the worlde.
1650 T. Vaughan Anthroposophia Theomagica 10
The Platonicks called it Nimbus Numinis Descendentis.
1707 in T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. 13 June (1886) II. 20
The Primitive Fathers were Platonicks in their comments upon the Scriptures.
1786 R. P. Knight Acct. Worship of Priapus 41
The Eclectic Jews, and their followers, the Ammonian and Christian Platonics.
†2. A platonic lover (see sense A. 2b). Obs.
a1658 J. Cleveland Gen. Poems (1677) 157
Sure at this Grate those Chrisom Lovers, call'd Platonicks, had their first Training.
1712 J. Arbuthnot Law is Bottomless-pit viii. 15
Very pretty indeed; a Wife must never go abroad with a Platonick to see a Play or a Ball.
1760 R. Griffith & E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (ed. 2) II. cccxlii. 401
'Till they dwindle into that Stage of Life, when, and when only, Lovers become Platonics indeed.
3. Usu. in pl.: platonic love; the acts of a platonic lover.
1755 D. Garrick Let. 22 May (1963) I. 216 That Friendship is carried on a little too far..When the Platonic extends so far as Sitting upon ye Bed for hours togeather.
Platonic body
n. Geom. = Platonic solid n.
1704 J. Harris Lexicon Technicum I,
Platonick Bodies. See Regular Bodies.
1705 E. Scarburgh Eng. Euclide 282
The five Platonick Bodies, so much fam'd, Pythagoras first found, Plato explain'd; Euclide on them Immortal Glory gain'd.
Categories »
Platonic-Christian
adj. that is both Platonic and Christian; of or relating to a conception of Christianity deeply influenced by or fused with Platonism.
Platonic solid
n. Geom. each of the five regular polyhedra (tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron).
1762 T. Walter New Math. Dict. at Tetraedron,
One of the five regular or Platonic solids, or bodies.
Platonic year
n. chiefly hist. (originally) a cycle postulated by some ancient astronomers, in which the celestial objects go through all their possible movements and return to their original relative positions, after which (according to some versions of the theory) all history repeats itself; (in later use identified with) the period of precession of the equinoxes (approx. 25,800 years).
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre v. xxviii. 278
Except the Platonick yeare, turning the wheel of all actions round about, bring the spoke of this Holy warre back again.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl.,
Platonic Year, or the great Year, is..the Space wherein the Stars and Constellations return to their former Places, with regard to the Equinoxes... The Platonic Year, according to Tycho Brahe, is 25816; according to Ricciolus 25920; according to Cassini 24800 Years.
Platonic-with references after 1800 removed and secondary references are in red.
Forms:
15–16 Platonike, 16 Platanicke, 16 Platonicke, 16 Platonik, 16 Platonique...
Etymology:
< classical Latin Platōnicus (adjective) of Plato or his philosophy, (noun) follower of Plato, also Platonica (neuter plural) teachings of Plato
< Hellenistic Greek Πλατωνικός (adjective) of Plato or his philosophy
< ancient Greek Πλάτων (classical Latin Platōn , Platō ), the name of Plato (c427–347 b.c.), Greek philosopher + -ικός -ic suffix.
Compare Middle French, French platonique , noun (1486 as platonicque ) and adjective (beginning of the 16th cent. designating a school of philosophical thought, 1577 in chronology,1691 in année platonique Platonic year), Italian platonico , noun (probably 15th cent.) and adjective (a1446), early modern German platonicus , noun (1486), German platonisch , adjective (1530).
With use as noun compare earlier Platonist n., Platonian n., Platonicker n.
With sense A. 2a compare post-classical Latin amor platonicus (see below), Italian amor platonico (1554), German platonische Liebe (17th cent.), French amour platonique (1743; compare amour à la platonique (1659)).
Post-classical Latin amor platonicus appears to have been coined by the Florentine Neoplatonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino (1433–99) in his Argumentum et commentaria in Phedrum ch. 1 (probably composed c1466–8, and printed 1484; edited and translated in M. J. B. Allen Marsilio Ficino and the Phaedran charioteer (1981) 73), where the amoris platonici et socratici castitatem ‘chastity of Platonic and Socratic love’ is mentioned with allusion to the account of love in Plato Symposium 201D-212A, esp. 209B-E.
The sense in which Ficino uses the phrase is summarized as follows by P. O. Kristeller in The philosophy of Marsilio Ficino (tr. V. Conant (1964) 286): ‘it is intellectual love between friends; love which unites the members of the Academy into a community, which is based on the individual's love for God’.
A. adj.
1. a. Of, relating to, reminiscent of, or characteristic of Plato or (a particular aspect of) his philosophy; conceived after the manner of Plato.
1533 T. Elyot (title)
Of that Knowledge, whiche maketh a wise Man. A disputation Platonike.
1638 Bp. J. Wilkins Discov. New World (1684) i. 173
'Twas an Old Platonick Principle, that there is in some part of the World such a place where Men might be Plentifully Nourished, by the Air they Breath.
1697 J. Evelyn Numismata vii. 235
More like a Platonic Notion.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones I. iii. iii. 167
He had..formed his Morals on the Platonic Model.
1781 Gibbon Decline & Fall II. xxi. 258
The familiar study of the Platonic system, a vain and argumentative disposition, a copious and flexible idiom, supplied the clergy and people of the East with an inexhaustible flow of words and distinctions.
b. Of a person: following the views of Plato; that is a Platonist.
1636 W. Davenant Witts ii. i,
Which [bookes] though not penn'd By dull Platonick Greekes, or Memphian Priests, Yet have the blessed marke of separation Of Authors silenc'd, for wearing short haire.
1689 R. Milward Selden's Table-talk 22
The first Christians many of them were Platonick Philosophers.
1708 J. Hughes tr. B. Le Bovier de Fontenelle Dialogues of Dead 99
A Platonick Philosopher desir'd the Emperor that then reign'd, to let him have a little City of Calabria which lay in Ruins, to rebuild and politize according to the Laws of Plato's Republick.
2. a. Of love, affection, or friendship: intimate and affectionate but not sexual; spiritual rather than physical. Now usually with lower-case initial.
1631 B. Jonson New Inne iii. ii. 238
Most Socratick Lady! Or, if you will Ironick! gi' you ioy O' you Platonick loue here.
1638 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy (ed. 5) iii. ii. i. iii. 420
It was not his person that she did embrace and reverence, but with a Platonicke love, the divine beauty of his soule.
1678 J. Norris Coll. Misc. (1699) 355
Platonic Love is the Love of Beauty abstracted from all sensual Applications, and desire of Corporal Contact.
1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews II. iv. xv. 291
If they found themselves to be really Brother and Sister, they vowed a perpetual Celibacy, and to live together all their Days, and indulge a Platonick Friendship for each other.
1788 S. Low Politician Out-witted v. ii. 59
When I talk of a passion, superior to mere Platonic love, you are afraid.
b. Of a person: that feels or professes platonic love; that has a non-sexual relationship.
1636 W. Davenant (title)
The Platonic Lovers.
1650 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis 163
The Mother-in-Law of Forestus, a fruitfull woman, would not match her daughters to Platonique men.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 32. ⁋3
This Order of Platonick Ladies are to be dealt with in a peculiar Manner from all the rest of the Sex.
1797 F. Reynolds Will iv. 46
Farewell, most amiable, most Platonic pair!
3. Confined to words, theories, or ideals, and not leading to practical action; ineffectual.
1. A follower of Plato, a Platonist. Now arch.
1605 T. Tymme tr. J. Du Chesne Pract. Chymicall & Hermeticall Physicke i. ii. 6
The Platonicks called the same the soule of the worlde.
1650 T. Vaughan Anthroposophia Theomagica 10
The Platonicks called it Nimbus Numinis Descendentis.
1707 in T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. 13 June (1886) II. 20
The Primitive Fathers were Platonicks in their comments upon the Scriptures.
1786 R. P. Knight Acct. Worship of Priapus 41
The Eclectic Jews, and their followers, the Ammonian and Christian Platonics.
†2. A platonic lover (see sense A. 2b). Obs.
a1658 J. Cleveland Gen. Poems (1677) 157
Sure at this Grate those Chrisom Lovers, call'd Platonicks, had their first Training.
1712 J. Arbuthnot Law is Bottomless-pit viii. 15
Very pretty indeed; a Wife must never go abroad with a Platonick to see a Play or a Ball.
1760 R. Griffith & E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (ed. 2) II. cccxlii. 401
'Till they dwindle into that Stage of Life, when, and when only, Lovers become Platonics indeed.
3. Usu. in pl.: platonic love; the acts of a platonic lover.
1755 D. Garrick Let. 22 May (1963) I. 216 That Friendship is carried on a little too far..When the Platonic extends so far as Sitting upon ye Bed for hours togeather.
Platonic body
n. Geom. = Platonic solid n.
1704 J. Harris Lexicon Technicum I,
Platonick Bodies. See Regular Bodies.
1705 E. Scarburgh Eng. Euclide 282
The five Platonick Bodies, so much fam'd, Pythagoras first found, Plato explain'd; Euclide on them Immortal Glory gain'd.
Categories »
Platonic-Christian
adj. that is both Platonic and Christian; of or relating to a conception of Christianity deeply influenced by or fused with Platonism.
Platonic solid
n. Geom. each of the five regular polyhedra (tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron).
1762 T. Walter New Math. Dict. at Tetraedron,
One of the five regular or Platonic solids, or bodies.
Platonic year
n. chiefly hist. (originally) a cycle postulated by some ancient astronomers, in which the celestial objects go through all their possible movements and return to their original relative positions, after which (according to some versions of the theory) all history repeats itself; (in later use identified with) the period of precession of the equinoxes (approx. 25,800 years).
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre v. xxviii. 278
Except the Platonick yeare, turning the wheel of all actions round about, bring the spoke of this Holy warre back again.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl.,
Platonic Year, or the great Year, is..the Space wherein the Stars and Constellations return to their former Places, with regard to the Equinoxes... The Platonic Year, according to Tycho Brahe, is 25816; according to Ricciolus 25920; according to Cassini 24800 Years.